FIRE & EMS WATCH

Teens die in head-on crash

Becky Robinette Wright

This crash on W. Hundred Road claimed the lives of teens from Prince George County and Petersburg. The twisted wreckage of a dark blue sedan laid strewn across W. Hundred Road, just steps from the Chester police station and the Sunset Memorial Cemetery. Nearby, a Lester Oil Company truck rested upon an embankment with dents in its bumper and side. From tears in the lines and tanks, the fuel dripped slowly onto the grass and pavement. The loud boom of the horrifying crash rocked the community on Jan. 18.

First responders arrived to find a crumpled vehicle with three victims trapped inside. While fire and rescue crews worked feverously to save the crash victims, a hazmat crew contained the dangerous spill and monitored the fuel truck.

One teen passenger in the sedan, Derrick A. Haskins, 16, of Prince George County, was pronounced dead at the scene. A second teen passenger, Rashawn Jones, 18, of Petersburg, was flown via helicopter to VCU Medical Center where he later died from his injuries.

The driver of the fuel truck and the driver of the sedan, 19-year-old Jamal Hall, of Dinwiddie, sustained minor injuries.

Police said the car swerved in traffic, crossed the cement median and struck the fuel truck head on. The fuel truck lost steering power, eventually coming to a stop atop an embankment beside a busy restaurant and a utility pole. Traffic was backed up for hours.

The Chesterfield County Police Department, Virginia State Police and Motorist Assistance handled traffic and helped rescue crews where needed. Fire and rescue crews responded from Centralia, Dutch Gap, Chester and Bensley stations. Bensley-Bermuda Volunteer Rescue Squad was on scene for EMS, along with additional ambulances, Medic 17 and Medic 12. The hazmat team responded from its base at Airport Station.

According to police, the Commonwealth's Attorney is reviewing the crash to determine if charges will be filed against Hall.